Tech-laden flagship for BYD premium brand brings huge power output for 0-62mph sprint time of 2.25sec
BYD’s premium brand, Denza, has pulled the wraps of the coupé version of its new Z electric hypercar.
Underpinned by a new development of the e3 platform that’s also employed by the Z9 GT, it has three electric motors that combine for a huge 1582bhp and 915lb ft of torque.
This allows the Z Coupé to hit 62mph from rest in a claimed 2.25sec; the Z Spider that was revealed at the Beijing motor show takes 2.3sec. The Racing variant (pictured below), fitted with a large rear wing and semi-slick tyres, cuts that to 1.96sec.
The Coupé and Spider top out at 186mph, while the Racing can hit 217mph.
A ‘Special Edition’ is also in the works, bringing more than 1973bhp and cutting the 0-62mph time to less than 1.7sec. This derivative is also claimed to bring more advanced battery cooling for track use.
All versions of the Z are fitted with magnetorehological suspension: the fluid inside the dampers contains metal filaments that mean it can change its viscosity in milliseconds, repsonding to magnetics controlled by the car’s chassis computer. This means it can make rapid adjustments to damping based on the condition of the Tarmac underfoot.
The Coupé and Spider ride on air springs, while the track-focused Racing uses traditional metal coils. All versions are stopped by carbon-ceramic brake discs with six-piston calipers up front and four-pots at the rear.
They also share a 76kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery for ranges of 254 miles in the Coupé, 248 miles in the Spider and 236 in the Racing. Rather than being a traditional pack comprising several modules, the cells in the Z are mounted directly to the chassis, boosting torsional rigitdity.
This packs BYD’s ‘Flash’ charging technology, allowing a 10-97% refill in just nine minutes on a suitably fast (1500kW) connection. BYD plans to install 300 such chargers in the UK by the end of the year.
The Z weighs 2230kg in Coupé form, rising to 2250kg for the Racing and 2300kg for the Spider.
The Z gets BYD’s first steer-by-wire systme, in which there isn’t a traditional steering rack but instead an electronic connection.
Inside, it features an 8.9in digital instrument panel and a 12.8in infotainment touchscreen.
There’s also a simulated engine sound, Denza said, but we don’t yet know whether it has opted for a virtual gearbox system as pioneered by the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and since replicated by the Porsche Taycan E-Shift and Honda Super-N.
Denza has yet to confirm pricing but, given the Z’s positioning as its flagship, it’s expected to start well into six figures. It previously said the Z9 GT shooting brake would start around £100,000.
The Z serves as a statement of intent for BYD’s premium brand, taking the fight to the likes of Porsche, Polestar and Mercedes-Benz on all fronts.
It remains to be seen whether it will spark demand for electric supercars, but it could provide a ‘halo’ effect in bringing attention to a challenger brand in an incredibly competitive segment.
